Administrative Directory - Administrative Judges - Outside NYC

Hon. Craig J. Doran

Craig J. Doran was first elected in November of 1999 and re-elected in November 2009 as Ontario County Court Judge. In his capacity as a Superior Court Judge, he presides over County Court (hearing criminal felony and civil cases), Family Court (hearing juvenile delinquency, PINS, custody and visitation issues, adoption, guardianship and a number of other "family-related" issues), and has also been designated by the New York State Chief Administrative Judge as a full-time "Acting" Supreme Court Justice, where he presides over a variety of civil matters.

In 2011, Chief Administrative Judge Ann Pfau appointed Judge Doran to serve as the Administrative Judge for the Seventh Judicial District. In that capacity, he is responsible for overseeing court operations in the trial courts in Livingston, Wayne, Seneca, Yates, Ontario, Steuben, Monroe and Cayuga Counties, that serve approximately 1.5 million people. Immediately prior to that appointment, Judge Doran served, for five years, as the Supervising Judge of the Family Courts in the Seventh Judicial District. In 2007, Judge Doran was named by Chief Judge Kaye to the New York State Permanent Judicial Commission on Justice for Children. He also is a member of the Child Welfare Court Improvement Advisory Committee and the New York State Bar Association Task Force on Family Court. In 2008, Chief Judge Kaye called upon Judge Doran to Chair the newly formed New York State Judicial Commission on Interbranch Relations. Also, Doran is the founder and first presiding judge of the Ontario County Felony Drug Treatment Court and has been presiding judge of the Ontario County Juvenile Drug Treatment Court. Doran is currently Secretary-Treasurer and Legislative Chair for the County Judges Association of the State of New York; and he is a member of the New York State Family Court Judges Association. He has been guest lecturer at the New York University Law School, Albany Law School and the University of Rochester Medical Center Grand Rounds.

At Keuka College, Doran serves as an Associate Professor, teaching upper level classes in the Adult Studies Criminal Justice Bachelor and Masters Degree Programs. He also serves as an Instructor Expert for the Center for Professional Studies and International Programs. Doran has also taught at Finger Lakes Community College.

In a special election in February of 1994, Doran, at the age of 29, was elected to represent New York State's 129th Assembly District in the State Legislature. During his tenure in the Assembly, Doran was Chairman of the Assembly Minority Steering Committee, making him part of the Assembly Leadership Team. He traveled throughout the state seeking input of New Yorkers on issues of importance to them, and then worked to develop those ideas as part of the Assembly Legislative Program. He served as a member of the Codes Committee, the Tourism Committee and was the Ranking Minority Member of the Assembly Election Law, Cities and Judiciary committees. Craig also took a leadership role on many fronts in Albany and in his district, serving as a member of the New York State Assembly Task Force on Volunteer Firefighters, the Task Force on Health Care and Hospital Crisis, and the Task Force on Education Standards.

A lifelong resident of Canandaigua, Craig graduated from Canandaigua Academy in 1982, then from SUNY-Albany, magna cum laude, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science and Communications. In 1989, Craig received his Juris Doctor Degree from Albany Law School, cum laude, where he served as an editor of the Albany Law Review, authoring an article on the effects of government regulations upon the rights of landowners. In 1991, he was elected Chairman of the Ontario County Republican Committee, making him the youngest chairman in its history.

Judge Doran is or has been affiliated with Keuka College President's Advisory Board, Canandaigua Kiwanis Club, the Canandaigua and Geneva Chambers of Commerce, Geneva Rotary Club (honorary member), Canandaigua Merrill Hose and Geneva Hydrant Hose Fire Departments, Seneca Waterways Council of the Boy Scouts of America (Vice President) formerly known as the Finger Lakes Council, the Alternatives to Incarceration Advisory Board, The Partnership for Ontario County Board of Directors, Community Action Partnership Advisory Board, Monroe County Children's Center Advisory Board, United Way of Ontario County Board of Directors and Community Investment Committee, Ontario County Task Force on Homeless Children, the "Falling Through the Cracks" program, the Thompson Health Healthy Kids Advisory Board, the Drug-Free Communities Project Key Leader Group, Ontario County Reentry Task Force, and is Vice Chair of the Finger Lakes Health Systems Agency's Regional Health 2020 Performance Workgroup.

Doran has been named a "Paul Harris Fellow" by the Canandaigua Rotary Club. He has received the "Honored Peacemaker Award" given by the Center for Dispute Settlement for efforts in advancing mediation as an alternative to litigation, and the Distinguished Service to Youth Award from the Finger Lakes Council of the Boy Scouts of America. In 2008, Craig was inducted as a Canandaigua Academy "Graduate of Distinction."

Craig and his wife, Eileen, are the parents of two daughters and one son.